Customs chick... whata BIA - Page 2

Lady Pi Phi · #16 12-18-2002, 05:26 PM

Because on 9/11 customs agents from Canada and the US have started to crack down. Some customs agents are going to be more lax than others, but birth certificate and photo ID are supposed to be mandatory to cross the border.

DeltAlum · #17 12-18-2002, 05:51 PM

Having absolutely nothing to do with the specific situation at hand, it has been my experience that the US Customs agents I've encountered when returning to this country have been much tougher and less friendly than the agents of the other country have been.

Truth is, in today's international climate, I'd rather have them be tougher. Kind of like air travel -- which I do a lot of -- I'm gererally not at all unhappy with the increased security. It's been needed for a long time.

cash78mere · #18 12-18-2002, 06:17 PM

forget complaining about her---i would send her a nice holiday card for DOING HER JOB and DOING IT WELL.

PM_Mama00 · #19 12-18-2002, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AOX81
I went over to Windsor July 1st and I didn't need my birth certificate...none of my five friends brought them either. I used to live in Michigan so I used to go over and see my family quite a bit. The only time I've ever had to have my birth certificate with me was if I was with my father going to a family reunion or if I was on a school trip. Other than that I was always told that a valid drivers license was sufficient.

Thank you so much! The only reason why I brought my birth certificate is cuz my mom told me to. I have NEVER been asked for my birth certificate, and yes they (customs people) have told me before that a license is O.K. So pardon me if I was judging this situation based on other customs people not doin their job correctly, or whatever.

Bamboozled... way to make this a racist issue. It is not. Funny how one of my Middle Eastern sisters said the same thing (what I said in my first post) about us being stopped.

Side Note: No, it wasn't just me. This lady is horrible. As soon as I told my mom "this customs lady was so rude", she described exactly what she looked like, and I knew we were talking about the same person. Yes, it's good that she is doin her job, but there's no reason for her to be a bitch to us before she even asked our citizenship.

Another note: My friend who was driving didn't even drink last nite, and the back window wasn't down yet. So she couldn't have smelled alcohol. Nice generalization tho.

lifesaver · #20 12-18-2002, 08:08 PM

Yeah, theyre strict as hell. Especially at the airports. Just came back from the airport as they are one of our clients. One of the construction field peeps escorted me past security to take some environmental signage photos. I had me bag with me. It had my boot knife in it. I had forgotten about it as I was planning on leaving my bag in the construction office area, pre-security. Well, They were locking up the field office, so I took my bag with me and they screners caught it (which actually makes me feel better) but I had to do some hella explaining. They let me go but couldda confiscated it. Fortunately, they didnt, just held onto it till I was done with the photos.

I was sweating like a SOB tho.

xok85xo · #21 12-18-2002, 08:11 PM

yeah airport security is tough(especially when you are flying out of one of the airports that the planes on 9/11 originated) my bra set off the metal detector..the lady had to wand me down and just started laughing when she realized what was setting off the alarm.

CC1GC · #22 12-18-2002, 09:00 PM

Unless you're a terrorist, you shouldn't be complaining about proving your citizenship. Hell, i'd give him/her my whole wallet and fill out a survey with my personal history if they wanted.

librasoul22 · #23 12-18-2002, 09:28 PM

Umm...

Thank heavens that people like YOU, PM Mama, do not work in customs. I mean, terrorists MUST fit the profile that you have in your mind, which does NOT include anyone who has:

Quote:

extremely light brown hair, pale complexion, and blue eyes

And Bamboozeld was NOT making it into a racial issue, she just quoted what you said, as did Munchkin03 (great point, btw).

I think it is hilarious that you started this thread to vent thinking that everyone would be agreeing with you...except NOT. The lady was doing her job and doing it well. Sucks to experience someone scrutinizing you a little more, perhaps profiling you, doesn't it. Hmm...wow, that sounds like what I go through EVERY SINGLE DAY. Welcome to America.

And please tell us who this woman is so I can send her some flowers and a thank you note for giving you a dose of your own medicine.

DeltAlum · #24 12-18-2002, 10:53 PM

OK, I'm confused. Why is everyone coming down so hard on PM_Mama?

We weren't there. Maybe this Customs Officer was out of line. I, for one, am glad the security measures have been increased -- but that doesn't mean I'd be happy if someone really went out of the way to be nasty! In fact, the best way for Customs, the police, airport security, etc. to get cooperation is to be as professional as possible.

Or, maybe PM is over-reacting. I don't know. I wasn't there.

Now, somebody explain to me how any of this is racist. The fact is that there is profiling going on at the border crossings and airports. And, the fact is also, that the profile she gave of her friend is NOT one that would attract the attention of Customs. So, why is it racist for PM to point that out?

I think PM might be over-reacting to the Customs officer, and she has said that she was drunk when she wrote it -- but, at least in my opinion, these attacks on PM are a little out of hand.

Tom Earp · #25 12-18-2002, 11:13 PM

AHHHH Champ, another uninspiring post!

Damn you are doing yourself proud and showing what you are , nothing!

Suck it up and get on with a life if you have one!

I once had a boil on my butt that reminded me of you, but I got over it even though it was a pain in the ass for awhile, it went away!

Oh, do you think there is a SANTA CLAUS?

If you say NO, may you get a lump of Coal in your panty hose or a bugger in your nose!

TTFN

Imthechamp · #26 12-18-2002, 11:19 PM

TOM EARP can't spell or use proper punctuation.

DEMOD AND BAN HIM.

phimugirlie01 · #27 12-19-2002, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltAlum
OK, I'm confused. Why is everyone coming down so hard on PM_Mama?

I'd have to agree. It seems like some people are trying to make this into an issue that was discussed a while ago. No, we weren't all there so it's impossible to know what really happened, but I wouldn't be too surprised if the lady went out of her way to be nasty.

Peaches-n-Cream · #28 12-19-2002, 12:58 AM

And not a single -ism to be found in this thread.

Next time bring a passport.

librasoul22 · #29 12-19-2002, 01:22 AM

Okay...PM Mama seemed perturbed that they were stopped even though her friend was fair skinned and blue eyed or whatever. What this said to me, and obvsiously others who read the post, is that they didn't DESERVE to be stopped because they didn't look like terrorists. Whatever that means.

I, for one, thought it was quite funny that she was angered by this because this is obviously her first experience where she has been unfairly scrutinized and singled out. Keeping in mind her mentality from past threads, I also thought it fitting that she go through what minorities in America go through daily.

DeltAlum, it was not racist of PM Mama to acknowledge the profiling, but come on. Unless you have deliberately ignored her posts in other threads, you know she is prejudiced.

Cream... BWAHAHAHAHA!

That was funny.

PurdueGirlie · #30 12-19-2002, 03:22 AM

PM_Mama and I live in the same area. While I don't know her friend, I do know that everyone my age knows to bring your birth certificate when going to Windsor. Why? Because incidents like that happen ALL of the time. Just having a driver's license does not prove you are a United States citizen. Honestly, it makes me happy that she gave you sh*t because she was doing her job! Her job is to protect our country and if she let everyone in who "forgot" their birth certificate, there is a chance that she could let the wrong person in. And then everyone would be saying, "Well if he/she didn't have the proper identification, why were they allowed in?" Better safe than sorry, in my opinion.

My aunt is a customs agent at the border. Those people have to put up with so many drunken idiots. They also have to work 12 hour shifts. Sorry she was rude to you, but I bet next time your friend will remember her birth certificate. Chalk it up as a lesson learned the hard way.